In a speech welcoming the king and his guests, Prince Khalid bin Abdul Aziz bin Ayyaf, Minister of the National Guard, said the theme of this year’s festival was Faithfulness and Loyalty.

The minister also welcomed representatives from Indonesia, this year’s national guest of honor. King Salman visited Indonesia’s pavilion at the festival, and was briefed on its contents, including photos reflecting deep-rooted ties between the two countries, and videos of the old Hajj journey.

The king looked at photos of the late King Faisal’s visit to Indonesia in 1970 and Indonesian presidential visits to Saudi Arabia. He was also briefed on the Indonesian islands and the country’s economic achievements.

The pavilion includes a section devoted to traditional costumes and crockery, another to Arabic calligraphy and manuscripts, models of the legendary Garuda aircraft in Bali and traditional handicrafts.

Dr. Alwi Shihab, the Indonesian president’s special envoy to the Middle East and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), told Arab News it was a “privilege” for his nation to be invited by Saudi Arabia to take part in the event, and said it would further strengthen the bond between the two countries.

“We are proud of this appointment, which many countries aspire to, and we are thankful to the king and to the government of Saudi Arabia,” he said.